Electric-light fixture



Feb. 7, 1925. 1,526,691

H. G. BEYER ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE Filed May 2, 1924 I I I I l 71 1 7 Patented Feb. 17, 1,925.

iUFNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEJ.-

HERBERT enonen BEYER, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, nssxenon r RAE-LITE manumcrunme 00., or BALrIMonnnAnYLAnn, A conronarron or MARY- Leno."

Application filed May 2,

I bulb for purposes such as advertising, sigor transparent elements to magnify, modify,

nalling, or other purposes.

The principal object of the lnvention is the provision of means as above which Wlll be cheap to manufacture, yet of sturdy construction, which will not easily get out of order, and in addition which will glve maximum service. I

To this end my invention includes a housing having light projecting openings therein within which may be secured translucent or otherwise use the light from the electric light bulb within the casing for a useful purpose. The socket adapted to contain the electric light bulb may consist of a tubular element threaded exteriorly and having a flange at its upper portion which'is adapted to cooperate with the housing member. This tubular socket is composed of the, usual bayonet slots commonly employed with incandescent electric light bulbs, to secure the latter in the former. The tubular socket is interiorly grooved at its lowermost portion and an expansible element, or elements, carrying' an axially located contact element, are made to expand by any desirable means lnto this groove with the result that the contact element is securely held in proper position, and immovable in the socket element. The usual insulation washer is placed beneath the contact and the means applied to the end of the contact to secure the lead-in wire thereto. The exterior threading on the socket element is adapted to receive a similarly threaded member and a lock nut or its equivalent to secure the socket to the hous- The invention also contemplates the securing of a glass or jewel in one of the light openings in the housing by means of a ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURE.

1924. Serial No. 710,676.

right-angular element of spring materialhavmg apertures therein, one arm of said right-angular element seating on the base of the housing and held in position'by the socket element which penetrates said bottom of said housing, the other arm being' -placed against the jewel which is loosely fitted into the light penetrating opening, and securely retains the jewel in said opening.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one satisfactory form of putting the invention in practice, but I do not wish to be limited to this particular form, as it simply exemplifies certain instrumentalities whereby the invention maybe carried out.

In the drawings Figure 1 is .a front elevation of one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the device of Fig.1, taken along the line 22.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the socket and assembly.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the washer element. Fig. 5 is a view ofa modified form of the ll'lVGIltlOlLf Referring now With more particularity to the drawings, I have shown a tubular socket at 1 having an upper outer, flange 2, and exteriorly threaded at 3. A bayonet slot 4 is adapted to receive and retain in thesocket 1 the lugs 5 of an electric light bulb 6, in the usual manner.

The socket 1 is interiorly grooved as at :7 and this groove isadapted to receive an expansive element or elements, which may taketheform oftwo substantially semicircular washers 8. The washers 8 are of such a size that their diameters may be placed together and the assembly inserted through the axial opening in the tubular socket. forced between the washers 8 these washers are expanded toward the side of the socket 1 and enter the groove 7. Such a relation exists that when the contact 9 is located between the washers 8,-ther'e is a snug fit between the walls of the groove '7, the washers 8 and the contact 9.

The contact assembly 9 consists of the. er illustrated.

When, however, the contact 9 is the washers 8, and that part of the contact directly below the flange 10 is provided with vertical walls 11, and below this portion with inverted frusto conical walls 12. It will be noted, therefore, that when the washers 8 have been partially inserted in the groove 7, the diminished screw thread- .ed end'13 of the contact 9 may be inserted therebetweem In this position the washers 8 do not fully enter the groove 7. When, however, the inverted frusto conical, surface 12 engages the top of the washers\ 8, they are completely forced into the groove by downward pressure upon the contact 9. The vertical walls 11 now engage the inner surface of the washersand they are properly seated in the groove 7. An additional insulation washer 14 of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the axial aperture of the socket 1, is placed over the screw threaded end 13 of the contact 9, and nuts 15 threaded to the end 13 and against the washer 14. In this position the assembly is rigid and thecontact is securely held in the desired location.

The socket 1 may be made of any desired material which circumstances will dictate, as likewise the contact 9. The washers. 8 and 14, however, must be of insulation material to prevent short-circuiting of the device.

The nuts 15 imust be of such a size to clear the bottom end of the tubular socket 1, in case the washer 14: is of less thickness than the distance from the bottom edge of the groove .7 to the bottom of the socket 1, but if the washer 14 is of a greater thickness the nuts 15 will naturally be spaced from the tubular socket so that no,shortcircuiting will occur.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings two housing which may be advantageously used with the socket assembly, but this merely illustrates two such forms and I do not wish to be limited to I either. I w

The housing 16 may take the form of a rectangular shell having its edges cut off slant-wise to form an enlarged face 17 and a smaller face 18. The face 18 is provided with an aperture within which may be seated a jewel or glass 19 for a purpose "later to be described. The base 20 of the housing 16 is also provided with an aperture of suflicient size to allow the socket 1 to be passed therethrough, so that the flange 2 will prevent the socket from pass ing completely through the opening In order to retain the jewel or glass 19 in the opening in the smaller face, I form-- a slight flange 21 in the opening in this small face, which allows the jewel or glass 19 to be partially seated in the aperture. A right-angular element, preferably of s ring material, having a. vertical perforate arm 22 and a horizontal perforated arm 23, is

placed within the housing 16 so that the threaded to the portion 3 of the socket 1,

which not only secures the socket to the housing 16, but secures the jewel or glass retaining element in place.

If the device is to be used on an automobile fender, orlike support, the end of the tubular socket 1 projecting below the nut 24 may be inserted through a hole in the fender and lock nuts 25 screwed up.

from the under side of the fender so that the device will be entirely supported upon, and securely fastened tothe fender. A closure for the enlarged .face 17 of the housing 16 may consist of a frame 26 having screws 27 threaded to the ends thereof and to the side walls of the housing 16. It may be found desirable to place between the frame and the enlarged face 17 of the housing an opaque stencil 28, and adjacent thereto and on the frame side thereof, a colored translucent or transparent element 29. As shown the stencil 28 is provided with openings therein spelling the word Stop and when the transparent element 29 is of a red color, the red stop will be transmitted to without the housing 16 when the electric light bulb 6 within the housing 16 is lit. At the same time the light is transmitted in the opposite direction through the jewel or glass 19, which may be clear or colored as desired.

This form of-socket may be used with a so-called parking light for automobiles, v

thereof. In this case the flange 2 on the upper portion of the tubular socket 1 may be omitted, and a set screw 32 penetrating the wall of the vertical portion of the T-shaped casing 30, used to securecasing and socket together. i

In this case, the i1ut24 will be threaded to the outside of the downwardly projecting end of the tubular socket 1, and bearing againstthe lowermost edge of the vertical portion of the T-shaped, housing 30. This nut will then rest on the fender of the automobile, and the lock nuts 25 threaded to the end of the tubular socket 1 which projects below the fender.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An electric light socket including a tubular element" adapted to receive an electric light bulb therein, a contact within the tubular element, and means expansible against the walls of the tubular element to retain the contact within the tubular socket.

2. The device of claim 1, said expansible means including a split washer.

3. The device of claim 1, said socket having a groove within which said expansible means are adapted to fit.

4. The device of claim 1, with an interior I groovein the tubular element, said contact constituting means whereby the expansible means is made to expand into said groove.

5. The device of claim 1, with a groove on the interior wall of the tubular element, said expansible means comprising two substantially semi-circular insulating washers, said contact member being insertable between said washers and having an inverted,

frusto conical portion engaging said washers and forcing the same into said groove.

6. An electric light socket including a tubular element adapted to receive an electric light bulb, a contact within the tubular element, means to insulate said contact from the tubular element, said means including a split washer of insulating material.

i 7. An electric light socket, including a tubular element adapted to receive an electric light bulb, a contact within said tubular element, an insulated support for said con tact within the tubular element and ex- -panded against the walls of the tubular element. a

8. An electrlc light socket including a tubular element adapted to receive an electric light bulb, a contact within the tubular. element, said contact having anv enlarged portion, a support for said contact in said tubular element including a two-part split member expansible against the walls of. the tubular element, the enlarged portion of said contact being insertable between the parts 10. An electric light socket including a tubular element adapted to receive an electric light bulb, having an inner peripheral groove, a contact member within the tubular element 'held by an insulator removably seated in said groove.

11. An electric light socket including a tubular element adapted to receive an electric light bulb, having a substantially uniform axial bore therethrou h, an insulation piece removably held in sald socket, a con tact passing through. said insulating piece and having a flange thereon lying above said insulation piece and a nutthreaded to the lower end of said contact.

12. An electric light socket, including a tubular element adapted to receive an elec: tric light bulb, having an inner peripheral groove, a contact member within the tubular element held by a removable insulator seated in said groove, said insulator being expanded into said .groove.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

HERBERT GEORGE BEYER. 

